


Metal in your Lungs

by LuxRoyalty (slytherinsdaughter)



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Twins, Brother-Sister Relationships, F/M, OFC is Drautos' twin sister
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-28
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-05-30 01:44:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15086321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/slytherinsdaughter/pseuds/LuxRoyalty
Summary: A collection of Fics based on my au where Titus Drautos has a sister.(and for him, it's easier to be loyal to a person than Niflheim.Even if he wasn't truly loyal in the first place.)





	1. Fire in the Village

**Author's Note:**

> So. 
> 
> I don't have an exclamation, but her name is Aden Drautos and I love her.
> 
> (and Parentem is kicking my ass.)
> 
> More things about this au [here](https://luxroyalty.tumblr.com/tagged/sister+au). It's also my tumblr. You can talk to me, I don't bite.

Titus twisted his and Aden’s hands together tightly. He could feel hers tremble. They both watched the Niflheim soldiers and the new machines - the MTs - march around the little area where they kept the captured Lucians. Aden was practically on top of him, her teeth bared but her eyes wide and teary. All he could smell was ash and blood, and the mud on his arms itched.

Their mother sat in front, trying to block her children from view. The sound of metal rung through the air as a soldier moved somehow. Their mother squared her shoulders, but Titus could see them shake.

Their father - they didn't know where he _was_. But there was the sounds of a gun, and their mama screamed - before the MTs grabbed them.

No one dared say anything more than a whisper - Selah, their neighbour, near them shushing her baby as he whimpered. Aden’s other hand clung onto his arm as they held onto each as much as possible. He could feel her breath on his cheek as they both looked at mama.

He was sure his nails were leaving marks on Aden but he couldn't make himself loosen his grip. He felt her shudder.

The MTs were coming closer, and Titus imagined he could feel their eyes in him. They walked through the crowd, grabbing people out of it. They watched as Selah, stood up, tears running down her cheeks. Titus soon couldn’t see them anymore as they disappeared around a building.

Aden gasped. Titus turned to look at what she was looking at.

A MT was practically looming over them. It had dragged their mother up by her arm, and she was standing, head down. Titus went to open his mouth, to say something, but Aden only slammed her palm over it. Titus’ eyes watered, and he held onto Aden a little tighter.

They were silent as it took their mother away. Aden wrapped an arm around Titus’ waist and breathed little, terrified, breaths.

Titus didn't know how long it had been when one of the MTs came for him. It latched on tight, and it's grip hurt, but Aden had latched on tighter. When he stood, she did too. Titus could see the head Nif watching them. His armour was shiny in the summer weather, and even his eyes looked cruel.

The Nif gestured, and then there was another MT, roughly pulling his sister away. Titus had to clench his jaw to stop himself from screaming. But they didn't separate them more than that, and both of them were dragged, stumbling, to the Nif.

He looked them up and down.

“Twins? Useful. Ship.”

The MTs seemed to know that order, and again they were dragged. The grass was tickled their bare feet. What did he mean that twins were useful?

They saw a magitech ship, as they walked around the buildings, and all Titus could think was ‘oh’. This is what they meant by ship. Not like the fishing ships they saw everyday. They stumbled up the ramp, Aden almost falling, but the harsh grip on her keeping her upright. They were handed over to a different pair of MTs.

The room they were taken to was mostly empty, and Titus watched them as they chained them to the wall. The only good point was that he was close enough to hold his sister.

He swallowed when he looked around again. Where was their mama?

He caught his sister’s eyes, and she looked as scared as he was. Where were they being taken? Titus shivered, the too cold metal uncomfortable.

The engine of the ship rumbled.

 


	2. Reunion

Aden stared at the message in her hands. Reading it again, she took out the fake IDs and put them aside, before throwing the message onto the campfire. It crackled, and she turned away to look at the IDs.

‘Ari Dron’

It was an awful fake name - which idiot got paid to make that up? - but the fake IDs were perfect as far as she could see. Of course they had to use her to test if they passed, they couldn’t use her _real IDs, no not at all._

She ran her hand through her hair. It was short enough to feel spiky, and she put the IDs in her pocket.

At least she was in Leide.

Without a tent, it was easy to roll the meagre items back in the bundle, stuffing it back into the backpack. The Haven looked about the same as it had when she entered it. She took a breakfast bar out of her backpack, and glanced at the red sunrise before she started to walk.

 

* * *

 

Dead faced, she said nothing when the Crownsguard let her through. It was lucky it was raining, and so heavily too, so she pulled her hood up and slouched.

Insomnia looked a lot like Niflheim, only brighter. The Wall glittered overhead, and her stomach sunk whenever her eyes caught it. She lowered them, looking closer to the ground.

She followed the signs, and the directions she had memorised years ago.

The area was old, and faded, but she saw the Citadel in the distance, and there was a blue post box outside the block of flats. The door was easy to push open, and the foyer was clean, even if it wasn’t _new._ It smelt old, but not bad, and she walked up the stairs quickly. Anticipation filled her chest, making her steps lighter. She was almost jogging by the time she reached the first flat on the third floor.

Her hand trembled and she clenched her fist to make it stop. With carefully measured strength she rapped on the door.

If her ears could move, they would have flicked up at the sound of movement inside the flat. She was utterly still in a forced way, and she stared steadily at the door.

The lock clicked, and it opened.

And she stared straight into the eyes of Titus.

He blinked, face still. Then he _moved_ , grabbing her around the shoulders and holding on tight. She breathed in the smell of her brother that she had missed so much, and wrapped her arms around him.

They stumbled inside the apartment, the door clumsily shut behind them.

It was the first time they had met without Niflheim being anywhere near them for twenty-three _years._ Twenty-three years of threats and violence, and even though it still loomed in the background it wasn’t as close as it always had been.

Lucis was safe, for now, unless they found out about them being traitors. It was _safe_.

Aden sighed, pressing her forehead against Titus’ shoulder.

“You look the same since I last saw you.”

“Tenebrae?” She asked a question she knew the answer to.

He made a noise, then dragged her to the couch. It was ridiculously comfortable, and made her snort at him. She leaned on him, then in the quiet, took the time to look around the apartment.

It was empty.

It was like the Nif labs, all white walls and blank spaces. All Titus had was a small tv, and a desk by the wall covered in paperwork. It was nothing like their childhood home, which had been filled with pictures and colour.

The sofa had been bright blue, covered with cushions, a woven basket filled with their papa’s magazines. Plants and shells used as decorations, and rocks she and Titus had painted as children.

No, this wasn’t like that at all. But it was better than Niflheim, and it was warm. She leaned back further and rested her head on his shoulder. Titus seemed to relax even more, with the weight of her on him.

There was no point asking where she was staying - it was obviously it would be with him, but she asked anyway.

“Am I on the sofa, or a room?”

“I’ll take the sofa. There's only one bedroom.”

“No.”

“Yes.”

“ _No.”_

_“Yes.”_

Aden sighed. “We’re going to need a bigger apartment.” She turned to look at Titus.

And he smiled. “We are.” He offered his hand to her, and she took it. They held hands like they did when they were children, were teenagers, were Nif lab rats.


	3. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> talk to me about Aden and Titus [Here on tumblr](https://luxroyalty.tumblr.com)
> 
> (There's another long fic about them [Here, too](https://luxroyalty.tumblr.com/post/175550569923/canon-aden-and-what-happened-to-her))

Aden lay on the sofa, Titus’ laptop on her stomach. She scrolled through some two bedroom listings of flats to rent and sighed.

Of course, he would give her this job as _he_ went to do his job as Captain. Even though she had never rented a flat in her life and had how no idea how it even worked. Niflheim had given both of them - _issues_ \- but this was just unfair.

One flat caught her eye. Three bedrooms, clean looking, big inside. _Suspiciously cheap_ \- well, compared with the other three bedrooms ones it was, anyway. She texted the link to Titus on the phone he had given her, wondering if he would know why the price was like that. He probably should, shouldn't he?

She rubbed her arm, her brother’s clothes feeling a little odd on her even though they fit well, them being about the same size and build as each other - his shirt only slightly baggy on her. All her clothes were in the wash, not that there was many of them in the first place.

Titus didn't reply to the text, but hours later, at lunchtime he walked through the front door.

She squinted at him, “I've never held a proper job, but I know you haven't finished yet.”

“I took a half-day.” Titus said. He hung up his jacket neatly inside the closet and went towards the laptop, opening it. “That apartment is fine - if you still want it.”

She nodded. “Why is it listed so differently than the rest?”

“It's almost in the Galadhan district, at the same time it's trying to market richer Insomnians.”

“You told me before - the Insomnians are xenophobic towards-”

“Refugees and Galadhans.”

“So, how do you rent a flat anyway?”

 

* * *

 

“If you keep taking days off you're doing to give your Glaives heart attacks,” she dryly pointed out, picking up one of the boxes.

“It'll keep them aware.” Titus replied, the last box in his hands.

The flat didn't look much different than when she entered it, and the meagre amount of boxes in Titus’ car seemed to empathise that. He’d lived in Insomnia for years and he had basically nothing.

She placed her box into the car and waited until he did the same with his, then slammed the boot closed. She entered the passenger seat and rolled down the window, letting a tiny bit of wind inside the hot car.

“How did you get them to rent it to us so quickly?” She asked. She had to think about it, but she eventually realised that the landlord agreed very easily.

“It was empty - and I'm the Captain of the Glaives.” He started the car’s engine.

She nodded. “They think you’re a responsible human being.”

He snorted, and shook his head, but he didn’t deny it.

 

* * *

 

It took as long to unpack as it did to unpack, meaning not long at all. The walls of this apartment was as blank and colourless as the last one, and she frowned at them.

“Come on.” Titus said.

She turned, raising her eyebrows. “What?”

“Didn’t you want to paint the walls?”

Aden quickly stood up.

 

* * *

 

They painted the walls a light blue. Aden didn’t tell Titus he had paint on his face, and just kept smiling at him, amused. Titus didn’t tell her that she had paint on _her_ nose. They didn’t buy any cushions, or woven furniture, but they did buy pictures for the walls. They did buy a coffee table, because Titus didn’t have one, for some reason, and they did buy plants. Many plants.

Maybe too many plants.

They covered the windowsills, there was one in the kitchen, one on the table, one on the _coffee_ table, and there was two in each bedroom.

“Adey,” Titus said from the sofa, something held in his hands.

She looked at it, then looked at him. “‘Tus?”

He gave her a small smile, then offered it to her. She took the brightly coloured packaging from his hand and looked at it, turning it over in her hands. “Wall… crayons?”

“To write on the walls.” Titus placed a hand on her arm.

She let herself smile at him, and gently tore open the packaging. She selected a dark blue, and rolled it in her hands, staring at it. Titus tapped her on the elbow, and she turned to him again. He smiled at her, and tapped the crayon.

Aden walked around the sofa to the wall behind it. It was a light blue, and she placed the tip of the crayon on it.

Aden drew a pair of small fish, swimming. Like she had, back -

She turned away from it then, and placed the crayon on the coffee table, practically falling onto the sofa and onto her brother. He placed his chin on her shoulder and they just breathed.

“I didn’t want to decorate my old flat,” Titus admitted, “I didn’t see the point. And I didn’t want two bedrooms. I thought - _they -_ would never let you go.”

“They did,” she said softly.

He snorted. “It’s too late for us to get out of anything, that’s why.”

“Yeah.” She agreed, “but for now, let’s pretend.” That Niflheim couldn’t haunt them here.


	4. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...Fuck I forgot to post this.

Aden was laying on the cool wooden floor when there was a knock on the door. She removed her legs, which were resting on Titus, sitting the sofa, and sat up. She turned to look at the door.

“Who’ve you told that you’ve moved?”

“The Citadel, in case they need me.”

She grumbled, “I’ll get it.” And stood up, brushing her shorts down. Barefoot, she walked to the door.

It was uncomfortably hot in Insomnia right now, and dressed only in shorts and a thin tank top, she still felt like she was melting. Aden clicked the deadbolt off and unlocked the door.

A glaive stared up at her. He opened his mouth and squinted, shutting it again. He swallowed, and his eyes flickered around.

“...Captain?” He eventually said, his voice full of confusion.

She raised her eyebrows, and he grimaced, ducking his head.

She turned her head into the apartment and called out, “Titus! There’s a glaive here for you.”

‘Titus?’ The glaive mouthed. “What?” He looked her in the eyes, looking extremely lost.

Aden heard the slight sound of ‘Tus walking towards them - also barefoot - and watched the glaive’s face when he spotted Titus. She felt Titus stand behind her, his head over her shoulder. The glaive’s eyes looked between the both of them and his mouth opened and shut.

“ _What?”_ He asked again.

“Ulric,” Titus said, “why are you here?” He leaned ever so slightly on Aden to peer at Ulric a little harder.

“Uh - I was given this to give to you?” He took a USB out of his pocket and offered it, not protesting when Aden took it from him. “Sir?” He asked, still looking incredibly confused.

Titus ran a hand down his face, but Aden had known him long enough to know he was rolling his eyes behind it. “This is my sister, Aden Drautos.”

“Oh… That explains a lot.” Ulric sighed, still tentatively eyeing Aden.

“Twins.” Aden added, “you must be Nyx Ulric? Titus has told me a lot about you.”

Nyx shook his head, not at her words, but something else. “He talks about me?

“Yes. Do you want to come in?”

Nyx hesitated, looking at Titus. Titus nodded, stepping away from her. She opened the door a little wider, and gestured him in.

Nyx walked on the floor like it would bite him. Aden watched him look around and shut the door behind him. They both walked to the sofa - one, singular sofa, that Titus was already sitting on. She sat on the other side of it, so Nyx had to take the middle. He put his hands on his knees.

“So -” Nyx started, “you’re the Captain’s sister?”

She nodded, “identical twin,” she pointed at herself.

Nyx turned his head to look at Titus, then looked back at her, “I can tell.. sir.”

Aden snorted, “you don’t need to call me sir.”

He looked at her like she was insane.

It took some poking, but eventually he started talking, still looking like he didn’t want to touch anything. When it was time for him to go - he stood, and she could physically feel him wonder if he should salute. Titus stood up next to him, and she watched Nyx decide making a break for it was the better option. He turned to face the door, and paused, looking at the drawing of fish on the wall.

Nyx swallowed, and didn’t ask.

After he left, Aden turned to Titus. “I like him,” she said.

“You’re not allowed to.”

“Isn’t he the one to tried to take on a marlboro by himself?”

“You’re not allowed to be friends, because you are as bad as each other.”

“I’m worse.”

“I’m not protesting that.”

Aden patted Titus on the shoulder. “We’re going to be friends.”

“I don’t deserve this.”

“Yes, you do. He’s going to tell the rest of the glaives about me, don’t you realise?”

_“I don’t deserve this.”_


End file.
